


To The Future

by SlusherM_221B



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, M/M, baby shower fic!, happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 13:32:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4748255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlusherM_221B/pseuds/SlusherM_221B
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy and Nico are adopting their first child, and of course a baby shower is a traditional must.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To The Future

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, I'm going to be an Aunt, now officially in less than two weeks hopefully, and the baby shower I attended inspired this. A lot of what happens also is based off of what actually happened at that baby shower. I just wanted to practice my fluff skills before I get back to writing angst and suffering.

     He didn't really understand why they were having a baby shower. Baby showers are supposed to be for women to gush over someone's pregnant belly and gossip while trying to show each other up with their gifts. He is definitely a guy, and so is Percy, and the only pregnant woman that is going to be there isn't even the guest of honor, but every time he mentioned this to Annabeth she would slap him over the head and lecture him on gender stereotypes and how the dichotomy was harmful to social progression. 

     But just because he didn't see the appeal in throwing a party to celebrate the little girl they were adopting before they even got her didn’t mean that Percy wasn't excited for it. Percy was putting everything he had into this party. He refused to let the others organize it for him and demanded that he be in charge of every single aspect of it. Nico just let him have his fun with it, because how was he supposed to say no when he turned those big, watery green eyes his way?

     Percy assured him that it wasn't going to be anything like he thought it was going to be, and whenever Nico would start to question it Percy was quick to shut him up by peppering his face and neck with butterfly kisses until Nico had forgotten all about what he was trying to say and grabbed Percy's face to make him give him a proper kiss. Nico was almost ashamed to admit that he let it happen every time, or he would be if Percy didn’t shower him with even more affection than usual afterwards.

     So Nico watched as Percy ordered everyone around for weeks trying to prepare for a baby-less baby shower and took advantage of Percy's defensiveness against the shower to have his attention all to himself for a few hours a day. The only input Nico had in the planning was when he made Percy promise not to have any games at the shower. Hazel was very involved in the planning with Percy and had became his right hand woman, and in her intense research into the world of modern baby showers she took it upon herself to explain to Nico all the 'fun' games they could play. Nico didn't want to put his mouth anywhere near a diaper with chocolate in it, no thank you.

     Nico was supposed to be picking up Sally and then they would make their way back to New Rome but he had something he needed to pick up first. He stepped out of the shadows and rounded the corner towards his destination. He knew that the point of the baby shower was for others to give gifts to the parents that they need for the baby, but it was also a celebration for the parents to be, right? It didn't feel right to not give Percy something to mark the occasion, as well.

     He entered the shop and hoped that he would still have plenty of time to pick up Sally before the party started.

* * *

 

     He stepped out of the shadows in the alley of the bakery they were having the shower at, Sally grasping his hand almost as tightly as her eyes were closed. He gave her time to catch her breath before gently squeezing her hand in turn.

     "Sally? We're here, are you feeling okay?"

     It was another thirty seconds or more before she finally opened her eyes and turned to him with a gentle smile. "Yes, dear, I'm fine. But I don't know how you do that all the time, it is rather disorienting."

     Nico grinned at her. "Well, I have a lot of practice now. Before, I could hardly travel by myself a mile down the road without wanting to take a nap afterwards."

     He let go of her hand and opened the door to the bakery for her. Following after her into the cool air of the store, Nico watched as his boyfriend skipped from one end of the room to the other, hands flying and mouth shooting off rapid mumbles.

     It looked like they were among the first to arrive. Only Hazel and Annabeth were there, both listening to Percy's incoherent babbling with amusement as they shot around the room after him to do as he wished. It was an amusing sight, his frazzled boyfriend directing his long time, and now heavily pregnant, best friend and his soon to be sister-in-law around the room to hang up last minute streamers, tie balloons to the back of chairs, and straighten already perfectly straight banners.

     Nico lingered by the door and watched Sally approach her son and grip him firmly by the shoulder, stopping his flailing before he could catch his eye on anything else that didn't need to be fixed. His face was alight with happiness and relief as he hugged her, and Nico wanted him to be this happy for the rest of his life.

     He placed the bag in his hand down on the table by the door where a couple other gifts were already placed, wrapped in soft swaths of greens and blues and golds. Percy let go of his mother and rushed over to grab his hand tightly, pulling him quickly to his side and across the room where the food was.

     "Isn't the cake cool? Pipes made it. And then the bakery gave us, or I should say we paid for, apparently saving the world twice wasn't enough for a discount, so we have cupcakes, this meat and cheese cracker stuff that Annabeth said would make everything fancy, and this punch stuff that Hazel insisted on having. It's really good actually and has sherbert in it, which is not the same as ice cream but I guess I can deal with that."

     Nico hummed as Percy spoke and surveyed the table, smiling at the beautiful swirls of blue and gold that frosted the cake and raising his eyebrow at the rest of the food that covered the table, caged in by two large punch bowls on either side of the table. "Everything looks wonderful. You ready for people to start showing up?"

     Percy nodded and opened his mouth to respond when the bell over the door chimed, announcing the arrival of some of their guests. Nico thought Percy's smile would swallow his face whole if he wasn't careful, but it stayed firmly in place as people started to flow in almost regularly after that, until every chair in the place could be filled.

     It had to have been the largest reunion since the end of the Giant War, or at least the first time in years that Nico had seen so many of his friends in one place. Everyone was trying to monopolize Percy's attention and it seemed that a few groups were having a competition to see which of them could hold the loudest conversation.

     He was still largely uncomfortable being in a crowd this large, even if they are people he knows, or maybe because he knows them, but it wasn't so bad. A lot of people had come to talk to him and congratulate him and ask about how things were going between him and Percy, and Jason had managed to escape Reyna long enough to hide out with Nico near the back for almost ten whole minutes before she found him and enlisted his help in moving all of the presents that were deposited by the door toward the front of the room.

     When eventually he had spoken to most everyone he planned to and he was left alone, he didn't mind. Percy was still bouncing all over the room, smiling like a love-struck fool every time someone asked him if he was excited to be a dad, and making sure to give everyone in the room thanks for being there. This party was for both of them, for the little girl that would be a part of their lives in but a few short weeks, but it was mostly for Percy. Just seeing him have so much fun with it all made enduring the crowd worth it.

     Sally came to stand with him by the back wall, hovering near the snacks and watching Percy illuminate light into everyone he met. She was smiling softly and watching Percy with a warm affection that was calming the air around him. Not looking away, she reached casually into her bag and pulled out a flask, tipping it almost unnoticeably over the punch bowl nearest to them. Nico's eyes widened as he watched her pour the clear liquid into the fruity punch until there was just drops left in the flask, and then tucked it back into her purse like nothing happened.

     Nico stared at her in silence until she turned her affectionate smile towards him and patted his arm before reaching around him and poured two cups of the mystery punch, handing one to him and raising the other to her lips. "What, dear? I've always wanted to do that, and something interesting has to be done so we can enjoy this party, too. Not that I don't love Percy's friends, but I don't know half of them. You're going to be a father soon, Nico, it's a tradition, so have a drink."

     He licked his lips and tapped his cup against Sally's, both of them taking a small sip. He had never thought Sally would be one for drinking, or for doing something so rebellious as spiking the punch bowl with vodka at a baby shower. He had always assumed Percy got all of his troublemaking ways from the godly side of his blood, but maybe he was wrong.

     Lowering the cup from her mouth, Sally scrunched her nose and held out her cup for him to take. "I think I'll leave the drinking to you, though."

     Well, it looks like he was right for one part, at least.

Annabeth joined him after Sally left, rubbing her back and sighing. "I'm glad it looks like everyone is having a good time, I was going to slap him if he asked me to blow up another balloon." She closed her eyes briefly and shook her head, before reaching for the cup in his left hand. "It's hot in here, give me that drink."

     Nico pulled his hand back out of her reach, sloshing some of it over his hand. She shot him a dirty look and tried to take it again but he quickly poured what was left of Sally's drink into his own and brought it to his lips, gulping it down until the cup was empty and he had to suppress a shiver.

     Annabeth blinked at him slowly, looking back and forth between the cup and his face with pursed lips. He looked at her helplessly and shrugged. "I, uh, already drank from both of those. You shouldn't, you know, with the baby."

     He winced when he was done speaking, and he could tell that Annabeth didn't believe him. He didn't know what he was thinking trying to fool Annabeth, one of the smartest people he knows, with a flimsy excuse like that. Luckily, she just gave him a pointed look and went to the other side of the table to pour a cup for herself and addressed the room.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

     "Okay, everyone! Please get some cake and punch so that we can open up these presents!" Nico volunteered to pour everyone a cup of punch and refused to let anyone besides himself near a ladle.

     The cake really did look delicious, and from the happy smiles around the room he guessed that it didn't taste too bad, either. Another cup of punch and a slice of cake was looking very good to Nico at the moment, but Percy had other ideas.

     "Come on, Nico! We're going to open up the presents, isn't this exciting?" Nico sighed mournfully at the food and drink he was leaving and obediently followed after his fiancé, smiling indulgently. He was actually a little excited. After all, this was for their soon-to-be daughter, and just because he found the idea of throwing a party for her when she wasn't even there to be slightly ridiculous didn't mean that he wasn't just as giddy as Percy was about it. "Yeah, love, it's very exciting." 

     Percy all but flopped into the chair placed next to the presents, smiling widely at the happy faces turned to watch him grab the first gift. Nico settled next to him, standing but with one hand on the back of his chair and leaning so he could still see well. While Percy busied himself with tearing the wrapping paper out of the top of the bag, Nico pushed his foot forward to scoot the small bag that he brought behind his legs, hiding it from view.

     Nico thought it was safe to say that their little girl would have everything she needed for a long time, and for the rest of her life if Nico had anything to do with it, which he will, based on the sheer amount of clothes, bottles, toys, diapers, bibs, and baby health products they opened.

     Annabeth gave them a complete set of kid dictionaries and encyclopedias, and quite a few other books that should cover her well past the first grade, with the promise to keep them updated with new books as she grew. Piper sat next to Annabeth and rubbed her shoulders, pointing out that all of the fun books were her idea.

     Reyna got her toy armor and weapons, all kid-friendly foam and plastic-for now that is. She volunteered to personally make sure she grew up knowing the skills she needed to best her opponents. Jason volunteered to personally make sure Reyna wasn't too hard on the kid, but Nico wasn't worried. Reyna had become one of his best friends since the Giant War, for obvious reasons, and he trusted her with his life. That didn't mean he wouldn't be monitoring their training sessions every once in a while. Besides promising supervision for whenever they needed a break from adulting, Jason gave them a plethora of diapers and pull-ups and pacifiers

     Hazel supplied them with more onesies and dresses and pants and shirts than they could ever possibly hope to dress her in before she outgrew them, but having more than they needed was better than not having enough. Hazel gladly explained to them why she picked each piece of clothing whenever Percy would pull out a new one, and even though it took forever and more than half of their group went to get a second piece of cake while she spoke, it was worth it to see the joy exploding in her eyes. Frank held her hand and pointed them towards a smaller bag next to it that had shoes and socks in it, blushing while explaining that he helped pick them out.

      Grover and Juniper provided them with even more books, mostly recipes and healthy eating guides for children so that they could make sure she was raised on a good diet, but they also gave them a beautiful photo book decorated in soft greens and blues with gold borders, clear sheets waiting for family pictures to go in. Percy was holding back tears almost the whole time he was opening gifts, but when he saw the picture book he turned to Nico with a smile that was twitching all over his whole body, and Nico felt a little misty himself when he pulled him in for a brief kiss.

     Leo's gift to them was still undergoing some 'finishing touches', but he was able to show them what he was working on with a tablet he brought. There was a beautiful mobile made of twisting celestial bronze and imperial gold, encrusted with green and purple stones that glinted when the light shone on it. It was beautiful, but they asked that he double and triple checked that it wouldn't burst into flames under any circumstances. He swore that he hasn't had anything he was working on catch fire in years, and Jason was sure to remind him of the watch he was trying to fix just last week that short circuited and shocked him, creating a mini fire in the wires. Leo then swore that the incident was an exception and that he was working on a changing table for them that would be like a brother to Buford the table.

     Will went above and beyond and got them everything that they would ever need to take care of their child medically, as far as Nico was concerned. He knew that he was going to get them an emergency first aid kit, but he wasn't expecting it to be the size of a small mountain. There were thermometers, band aids, powders, creams, ointments, antibiotics, antiseptics, gauze, medical tape, kid vitamins and cold and flu medicine, nail clippers, a hair brush, bathroom supplies, towels, wipes, tissues, and a lot of other things that Nico had never seen or heard of in his life that he was hoping Sally would be able to tell them what to do with them.

    Sally's gift hit them hardest. She took Percy's baby blanket that she had kept in the back of her closet all these years, a mix of different shades or blues and white, and backed it with the fake fur that once lined Nico's aviator jacket, which had long since finally fit and then became too small for him. The blanket barely looked used and the back made it so soft. Percy and Nico had both hugged her for well over the time it took for everyone else to realize hers was the last present and to separate into their own private conversations give the three some space.

     Pulling away from his mother, he held the blanket up to his cheek, twining the fingers of his free hand with Nico's and blinking up at him so warmly that Nico was struck still in awe over how he could have ever become so lucky, and he just knew that Percy was thinking the same thing.

     Nico looked around to see that the party had spread out again, with everyone eating and talking and laughing, happy for once like they deserved to be. He caressed Percy's cheek with his knuckles before reaching down to place a bag in his lap. "One more present to open up, Perce."

     Percy's lips slowly tilted up in the corners as he caught Nico's hand in his own and brought it to his lips, kissed the knuckles and then tentatively reached past the wrapping paper to pull out a small box about the size of his palm. He slowly opened the lid to reveal three round silver lockets with delicately sturdy silver chains and elegant swirls carved into them. He lifted one of the lockets out of the box and turned the latch to open it. The right side was empty, but the left side had a small picture of them, Nico hanging over Percy's shoulder with his arms wrapped around his neck and Percy's arm coming up to grasp at the hand near his throat, both of them smiling happily into the camera. It was one of Nico's favorite pictures of them, taken a little after their four year anniversary when they went to Coney Island for the weekend with their friends. It was a great weekend, even if a few empousai tried to spoil it by demanding Percy's head on a cheese platter.

     He took the locket from Percy and slipped it over his head, then reached to take another locket to pull over his own head. "The third one is for her, whenever she's old enough to be rusted with it without it being a choking hazard of course, and the right side is saved for a picture of her, or a picture of the three of us. So our love, our family, will always be close to our hearts."

     Percy didn't speak for a long time, he just held the locket in his palm and caressed a finger over their faces in the picture. Nico almost wanted to become nervous after another minute was passed in silence, but Percy eventually looked up and Nico's heart swelled so fast that it felt like it was breaking. They rested their foreheads against one another's and Nico was quick to swipe away the tricky tears that slipped down his cheeks, making those green eyes electrify him in their intensity. "You thoughtful, thoughtful man. What would I do without you?"

     Nico huffed and kissed the tip of his nose. "Hopefully miss me, which is all I could do if I was ever without you."

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi to me on [Tumblr!](http://joslushie.tumblr.com/)  
> "joslushie"


End file.
